Improving the Environment and the Bottom Line with ESG and Energy Management

Green Success Stories sat down with Bryan Rodriguez of Bridge House Advisors. We discussed his sustainability awakening (where’s the snow?!), his climate studies in Belize, his joy in driving past his first solar installation, and his engaging work at Bridge House Advisors helping clients with energy management, ESG due diligence, decarbonization, and carbon accounting services. We further discussed the future of the industry, the need to read, and his wish to finally see an Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field.

Tell us a bit about your sustainability journey

I was blessed to grow up with the San Bernardino mountains of Southern California as my backyard. When the weather was warm, we played at the nearby lake all day. When the weather was cold, we played at the nearby ski resort all day long. There wasn’t much else to do except get into trouble. I understood the impacts of climate change at a young age when the snow slowly stopped falling and the ski season began starting later and ending earlier.

Upon graduating high school, I got the opportunity to go to University of California, Santa Barbara where pioneers of the environmental movement had developed a world class environmental studies program. During my time at UCSB, I was able to study abroad in Belize where we traveled throughout the country and got immersed in the country’s various ecosystems while learning how climate change was impacting Belize. After graduating from UCSB with a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Studies, I relocated to Los Angeles. Getting my career off the ground was a whirlwind.

I began doing door to door sales for a solar start up before transitioning to working as a Home Energy Rating Systems technician. I then got involved in environmental remediation before I decided to continue my education. I worked full time as I remotely pursued a Master’s of Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins. In the midst of pursuing my Master’s program, I pivoted and joined an energy efficiency firm. After graduating from Johns Hopkins, I finally found the perfect fit for my career with Bridge House Advisors as I was able to use my diverse background and apply it to my role in the ever-evolving ESG industry. While I support many services lines with Bridge House, I find myself most motivated to help our clients with our energy management, ESG due diligence, decarbonization, and carbon accounting service lines.

Tell us a bit about the product or solution you offer.

Energy efficiency solutions typically involve capital investments into new technologies. At Bridge House, we recognize the importance of new technologies where applicable; however, our team can create value for our clients by analyzing the performance spread of energy intensity (i.e., kWh/sq ft, kWh/ton of product, MMBTU/$M revenue, etc.) across a portfolio of facilities. Identifying the leaders and laggards within the facility portfolio guides us towards identifying no-cost and low-cost operational improvements developed to drive cost savings while simultaneously reducing energy consumption and decreasing carbon emissions.

Share a green success story with us – how have you helped customers or other businesses in the fight against climate change?

I spent years actively remediating heavily contaminated sites with historic backgrounds across California. Some of these include one of the nation’s largest perchlorate cleanups at a World War II ammunition manufacturing site in Santa Clarita, a nuclear reactor meltdown at a Cold War-era rocket test facility in Simi Valley, and injecting biologically engineered bacteria into contaminated groundwater at the Alameda and Coronado Naval Air Bases. As cool as all of these were, something that sticks with me is the first solar system I sold. I still get excited when I drive by it.

What would you do with $1 billion dollars?

1) Never mention it

2) Set aside enough for my children and my children’s children to live comfortably

3) Buy a 3-bedroom home in Southern California with plenty of yard space

4) Receive a Ph.D.

5) Work part time delivering sustainable solutions

6) Spend as much time as possible traveling the world and hanging with friends and family.

7) Finally see a Philadelphia Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field.\

What do you envision your industry looking like in ten years?

Carbon accounting and emissions reductions will be industry standard and embedded into every business’ risk management systems.

Clean energy will surpass fossil fuels in our global energy mix but energy prices will rise as infrastructure upgrades will be passed to consumers.

The coverage of carbon markets and emissions trading systems will increase as countries rely on legislative frameworks to decrease emissions.

The overwhelming majority of the population will have been personally negatively impacted by the effects of climate change. The conversation surrounding the issue will evolve from controversy to action.

Mandates will have been enacted to protect consumers from greenwashing.

What would you like readers to take away from this article?

Read more books and never stop learning.

How should readers get in touch with you and/or your organization?

LinkedIn, https://bridgehouseadvisors.com/, [email protected]

Kudos

Many thanks to Bryan Rodriguez and Bridge House Advisors. Green Success Stories is happy to support and highlight their efforts. We invite you the reader to do the same.

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